New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-06
THE PACIFIC RAILWAY COMMISSION
FEW FACTS REGARDING THE EXPENSES AND IN
QUIRIEs OF ITS MEMBERS.

FEW FACTS REGARDING THE EXPENSES AND IN
QUIRIEs OF ITS MEMBERS.
70 the Edttoror The rribune.
SIR: The commission appointed to investigate the
Pacific Railroads appears for the last time about
us often as a popular actress For the third
and it is TO be hoped for the last time it announces
its labors as finally closed. understand that the
members of this commission claim credit for not
having exceeded the appropriation Of 100000
designed to pay its expenses, and announce through
a friendly Taper that about $4,000 of that
amount will be uncxpendcd. But as they seem
to have caused an expenditure to the Central
Pacific Railroad of least SlOo,OO0
and as the Government proprrtlon OF
this sum would be 20 per cent or $4,000
the cost to the United States is equal to the sum
appropriated. OF this at least $4,000 has been
wasted.
The commissioners have been in office about
five months and Will probably complete what
they deem to be their duties in about two months
more. The salary, board bills and travelling
expenses of each cannot well te over $1,000
month, making an expenditure OF $4,000 Tor the
three and ala their other expenses could very
we'll have bccn contracted for within so'ooV
But then they would not have had secretary, an
ssIstant secretary, staustlcIan ana "a personal
attendant whom they uignIly by the utle Oh
sercent-at farms. 1t WAS only necessary 1Or Ihein
to examine the principal officers OF the companies
10 be Investigated, and as has heretofore been
shown. all the statistical information That couii
have been OF any use to them had already been
prepared and was file at the various Govern
ment offices in Washington.
And this leads 10 the inquiry whether Inc
so-called statistcian is not political hehchmah
of Ex-Governor Pattison. and whether Mr. Com-
missioner Anderson was not consOied lof giving
his consent to the employ ment Ot this person
! by having his own nephew appointed ana seht 10
California at the expense OF the OONefhihcht Oh
the staff Of the general accountant employed by
| the Commission. If this arrangement really was
made it would seem as II the Republican CUM
missioner found it cold weather, for fat to
discover any one of his political faith drawing
any part OF the 100000 from the treasury
We think the money that has lccn and Will
| be drawn from the Federal Treasury TO pay ior
the expenses and services of these comniss 'oherS
viii result in no benefit to the people ~ ihslcau
of appointing an ex-Dcmocratc Governor. VINO
accidentally came to the front in republican
State and q sharp, keen crOss-eXaminlng counsel,
who has been educated 10 the art OF making the
worse appear the better cousc, the President had
| selected such Il man ms cN-Judge Van NofS'' OF
/ this city, ard some retired Judge OF any other
State who like the gentleman last named. has
earned an enduring reputation for his importantly
| the result might have been different.
| But the Democratic members OF this Commss on
have pursued their inquiry in such partisan
and Vlndictivc spirit as to make their labors OF
! little value in determining any Of the quest ionS
concerning which Congress desired 10 be informed,
or to afford any reliable information that Will
! bear upon the r. lations between the investigated
companies and the Government.
| In the celebrated State prosecutions in Ireland
| in '9s it said that the judges first desired 10
/ he informed Of the wishes OF the rown and then
conducted the trials before them To carry
out such wishes II il to bc hoped that the
commiss oncrs have not been quite as suhscrvicnt
TO the power that appointed them. OBsGRvLE.
New- York, Oct. 8. 1887.